Vamp-trimming machine



fg/WE1. y j.

c. c. BLAKE.

VAIVIP TRIIVIMING MACHINE.

. APPLICATION FILED MAY 8, 1915. l 73,493, Patented Apr. 5, 1921.

5 SHEETS- SHEET I.

C. C. BLAKE.

VAMP TRIIVINHNG MACHINE.

APPucAloN man mAYaf1915.

Patented. Apr. 5, 1921.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

IHM/ifm,

KM/Messes: @www C. C. BLAKE.

VAMP TRIMNIING MACHINE.

APPLlCAlON FILED MAY 8.1915.

l 1,873,403?. Patented Apr. 5,1921.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3..

@4M/762.5566.- I 17m/:ffm

0. C. BLAKE. VAMP TRIMMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 8119-15.

f Patented Apr. 5, 1921.

5 SHEETS-'SHEET 4.

7V/Messes..

[life/mw",

C. C. BLAKE.

VAMP TRINIMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 8,1915.

1,37 SAO Patented Apr. 5, 1921.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

Unirse stares easier ortica l CHARLES C. BLAKE, F BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS.

f ing a Welted shoe for the mechanisms;

` vAMr-'rnrivriirmef MACHINE.

Application ined ivray s,

To all 'whom t may concern:

lle it known that I, CHARLES C; BLAKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brookline, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Vamp-Trim,-

ming Machines, of which the followingis a specification.

rlhepresent invention relates to machines `ivhich are used in the manufacture of boots and'shoes for preparing a shoe for a subsequent operation on the shoe bottom, and moreparticularly to machines for preparsole laying operation.

f In the'system of Welt shoe making devised by me the upper is lasted to the edge face of the insole with thev free edge of the'upper projecting substantially at right angles to the exposed face of the insole. After the velt sewing operation, in which the Welt, uprper and insole are secured together by stitches which loop over tongues formed in the exposed face of the insole, it is desirable to trim the upstanding edge of the vamp in order to prepare the Welted shoe for the sole laying operation. l

Theobject of the present invention is to produce a machine for use in my systein of Viveltshoe making Which Will economically and'eilcctively trim the vamp of the welted shoe and thus prepare it for the sole laying operation. Y

To the accomplishment of this object and such others vas may hereinafter appear the features of the invention relate to certain devices, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and then set'` forth broadly and inv detail in the appended claims Which possess advantages which will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

The various features of the present invention will be readily understood from an in? spection of the' accompanying drawings illustrating the best form of the invention at present devised, in Which, .lFigiire l is a left side elevation of the vamp trimming machine; x

Y Fig. 2 is a plan, partly in section, of the lea der and its associated parts; p

Fig. 3 is asectional elevation of the jack and its supporting, actuating and guiding Fig. i is a plan. of the jack actuating' and Specification-of Letters Patent.

guiding mechanisms beneath the jack supporting table;

F ig. 5 is a sectional elevation on the yline Fig. 6 is a-front elevation of thel rotary cutter and guard, i

Fig. 7 is a right yside elevation, partly in section, of thecutter audits guard, and" Fig. 8 is a detail showing the shape lof the bearing face of the guard. Referring to the drawings for a preliminarY general description of the machine emf bodying the features of the present invention and the Work performed thereby, the ivelted shoe having the free edge ofits upper projecting substantially `atfright angles tothe exposed face of the insole is support ed upon a jack which is actuated automatically toI transfer the pointof operation of the tool around the shoe. This tool comprisesfa rotary cylindrical cutter totrim the up'sta-nding edge ofthe vamp. The cutter is surrounded by a'giiard which is provided with a slot for the passage ofthe edge' of the vamp to thecutter'and is mounted to oscillate about the axislofthe cutter to vary the position of the slot in accordance with variations in the position. of the edge of the `vamp projecting from thecurved shoe bot-` yguided to slide vertically therein by a screw ldivhich is arranged to engage a slot il formed in thepost S.

Patented Alpin1 5, 1921. ,I f 1915. serial No. 26,742.

*Y The saddle is' normalllv held elevated by a coiled springlQ which is interposed between the bottoni of the standard 9 and the top ofthe chamber in the post S. To permit'the saddlevr tofbe forced upwardly to jack'r th'e'shoe the post carries a rack 18 which. when the saddle is under the iniiuence of the'spring 12,' registers with an opening formed in a Worm l5.

This Worm is mounted in a'housingl. on

a vertical shaft 17 vi'oiirnaled in the standar( 97 and is provided,V With a handle l8by l on the jack.

means of which the operative may engage the worm with the rack 13 and force the saddle 3 upwardly to jack the shoe. To permit the jack to accommodate different sizes of shoes the standard 9 is mounted to slide on ways 19 formed on the plates 6. The base 7 is provided with runners 2O (Fig. 3) which are arranged to slide over the smooth upper surface of a platen 21 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3). The platen is provided with a pair of dowels 22 (Fig. 2) arranged to engage sockets 23 (Fig. 4) formed in the upper surface of a bracket 24 which is bolted (Fig. 1) to the column 25 of the machine. The platen 21 is additionally secured to the bracket 24 by means of a pair of screws as (rig. 2).

ln order to automatically slide the jack over the platen to transfer the point of operation of the tool around the shoe the jack is secured to a leader 27 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) which is provided with a guiding flange 28 (Fig. 3) the internal periphery of which has the saine contour as the edge of the sole In order to permit the peripheries of the sole and the leader to be vertically alined so that similar portions of the sole and leader will move in unison throughout the operation of the machine the leader is provided with a pair of buttonhole slots 29 (Fig. 2) which receive headed bolts 30 (Fig. 3) carried by the base 7 of the jack. With this construction the jack may be placed upon the leader by passing the heads of the bolts 30 through the large ends of the buttonhole slots 29. The jack is then shifted on the leader until the edge of the sole is vertically alined with the internal edge of the leader. This movement of the jack brings the shanks of the bolts within the small ends of the buttonhole slots 29. To clamp the jack to the leader the ends of the Shanks of the bolts are provided with pins 31 (Fig. 3) which are engaged by the opposite ends of a leaf spring 32 arranged to embrace the shanks of the bolts. The spring is bowed to exert clamping pressure upon the bolts and thus clamp the jack to the leader by a triangular cam 33 secured to a shaft 34 journaled in .the plates 6 and actuated through a handle (not shown) carried by the shaft. rfhebase 7 carries a pair of pins 36 which act as fulcrums for the leaf spring 32 during the bowing thereof.

rlhe leader is actuated to transfer the point of operation of the tool around the shoe by a gear 37 which engages rack teeth 38 formed on the exterior of the guiding flange 28. IThe gear 37 is secured tothe upper end of a vertical shaft 39 journaled in bearings formed in the bracket 24 and column 25. The shaft 39 is driven from a horizontal shaft 40 (Fig. 1) journaled in the column 25, through a worm 41 on the shaft 40 which meshes with a worm wheel 42 on the shaft 39. The shaft 40 loosely carries a pulley 43 which is driven from a motor 44, mounted on the base of theJ column 25, through a belt 45. The pulley 43 carries a friction disk which is arranged to be engaged by a similar disk 46 splined on the shaft 40. In order to shift the disk 46 on the shaft 40 and thus clutch the pulley 43 to the shaft 40 the disk 46 is provided with a peripheral 'groove 47 which is engaged by a pair of blocks 48 carried by thevertical arm of a bell crank lever 49 pivoted on a bracket 50 on the column 25. TheV horizontal arm of the bell crank lever 49 is pivoted to the upper end of a rod 51 which slides freely through a sleeve 52 on the column 25. The lower end ofthe rod 51 is pivoted to a treadle 53. l/Vith this construction pressure on the treadle slides the disk 46 on the shaft 40 into engagement with the pulley 43 and thus clutches the shaft 40 to the source of power. The disk 46 is normally held away from a pulley 43 and in'contact with a braking surface 54, formed on the bracket 50, by a spring 55 coiled around the rod 51 and interposed between' the bell crankl lever 49 and thesleeve 52.

In order to swing the jack laterally as the point of operation Vof the tool is transferred around the shoe to maintain the edge of the y shoe sole in proximity to the tool in the line of feed the guiding iiange 23 on the leader is engaged by a pin 56 (Figs. 2, 3 and 4) arranged to engage inside the flange and by guide rolls 57 `and 58 arranged to' engage outside the flange. The guide pin 56 is formed upon the upper end ofV a vertical rod 59 which is loosely mounted in a bearing formed in the bracket 24. The rod 59 carries a plane surfaced block 60 which is provided with a roll 61 embraced by a camslot 62 (Figs. 3 and 5) formed in a vertical flange 63 of a horizontal slide 64 slidably mounted in the bracket 24. The slide 64 is connected to an arm 65 (Figs. l and 5) projecting from a rock shaft 66 journaled in the column 25. A second arm 67 projecting from the rock shaft 66 is provided with a handle 68 by means of which the slide 64 may be actuated to cause the cam slot 62 to act upon the roll 61and depress the guide pin 56 below7 the guiding flange 28 and also below the surface of theplaten. The guide pin 56 is eccentrically mounted on the rod 59 to permit it to traverse the short curve at the toe of the leader and is made semicircular in the manner illustrated in Fig. 2 to avoid all danger of interference withthe heads of the bolts 30. Y

ln order to hold the leader down upon the platen the exterior edge of the flange is beveled as shown at 69 (Figs. 3 and This beveled surface is engaged by the frusto-conical guide rolls 57 and 53. By engag f i 133x/3,403

ing the flange 28 the guiding devices 56, 57

and 58 act to swing the jacklaterally about.

relation to the line of feed. In order to enare journaled in a slide 70 (Figs. 2, 4` and.

able the rolls l5,7 and 58 to engage the flange at all times without binding as they traverse the reverse curves of the-flange at the shank j farther tothe right (Figs. 2 and 4) the traverse of --the rolls aroundfthe and` around the'toe the guide rolls 57 and 58,

5) mounted toslide in ay guideway 7l formed in the bracket 24 and are actuated in a direction to press the guide rolls 57 and 58 against the flange 28 byvmeans ofa spring 72 (Fig. 2). `It has been proposedheretofore to connect the spring 72 directly to they slide 70. With this construction it isy found that the pressure is decreasedyduringthe' traverse of the rolls along a convex curve, such as at the toe ofthe leader, and that the pressure is increased during the traverse of the rolls along a concave'surface, such as atl the shank of the leader. Owing to the great arc through which it is necessary to swing the comparatively heavy leader and jack supported thereby duringwthe`r traverse of the rolls around the toe it isvfound that with the construction referred to great pressure is brought to bear upon the rolls during. their traverse of the toe. As theispring is pressing the rollsy against the leader during their traverse of the'toe'with its minimum pressure there is a tendency 'for thek leader to move away `from one ofthe rolls-'thus @changing the aXis about `which the work swings. As it is desirabletoswing the work constantly about an aXis tangential to the edge of the insole of the shoe the spring 72,.

instead of being directlyl connected vto the slide 70, is connected to the'slide-th-rough a lever 73 arranged to varythe leverage inversely to variations in the `tension on the spring.l That is, the pressure on thel rolls is increased during their traverse of the toe v of the leader and is decreased during their traverse along the shank of the leader. B

' increasing the pressure on the rollsv during their traverse of the toe the leader is pre# yvented from movingaway from one of the rolls. As the leverage of the swinging work hollow' shaft 88.

is neutralized during the traverse of the rolls'` along the shank'of the leader the pressure on'the rolls may be decreased during their traverse of the shank thus reducing the friction to a minimum. Thelever 78 is pivoted at one end to the bracket 24. At its other end the lever is pivoted to a block 74 which loosely receives a rod 75 pivoted to; an extension of the bracket 24. The spring 72 is coiled around the rod 75 and is interposed between the fblock 74 and-a shoulder 76 on the rod. The lever 73 is pivoted intermedifk ate its ends by a short link 77 t`o the slide 70. From ari/inspection of Figs; 2` and 41 it will -be readily seen that theflink 77 isrconnectedto alrigid arm, that is an arm not compressible longitudinally,` of a toggle the other arm of `which is yielding. With this construction the pressure of the rolls on the leader Lis at its minimum when the-toggle approaches its Vmade position and is at its maximum when the toggle approaches its brokenaposition. As theslide is positioned during toe of the `leader than during the traverse of the rolls along the shank of the leader it will be obvious that, with the improved` construction referred to, the pressure on the rolls will increase during their traverse of the toe and ydecrease yduring their traverse ofthe shank.` VWhile the rigid (arm of the toggle is shown inthe illustrated embodiment of the inventionr as a lever of the second order 468 simultaneously depresses the guide pin 56 and withdraws the guide rolls 57 and 58 Vfrom the iiange. It will be noticed from an inspection of Figs. 2 and 4 that the ram slot 78 is wide enough to permit the roll 79 to move therein as the guide rolls 57 and 58 yield to the curves of the (leader.y In order to hold the slide 64 in a normal operative ico position with the handle 68 elevated the arm 65 is pivoted to a rod '8O which passes 4loosely through a lug 81 on the column 25.

interposed between the lug 8l and a shoulder 82 on the rod is Aa spring 83 which is coiled around the rod. The movement of the slide 64 is limited in both directions bya pair ofl pins 84 and 85 (Fig. 2) arranged to alternately engage opposite vsides of the bracket 24.

The tool for trimming thevamp comprises a cylindrical cutter 86 (Fig. 7) which is threaded .upon a carrier 87 shrunk; upon a The vcutter is locked against accidental 'rotation' on the carrier byfone or more plates 89secured to the carrier 87 and engaged with slots 90 formed in the `back edge of the cutter. `The shaft 88 is journaled in bearings 91formed in a yoke 92 which is pivotedv on -studs 93 secured to the armsxof a yoke bracket 94 secured to the top of the column 25.` The kstuds 93 are locatedin'a horizontal plane having a height yabo-ve the platen substantially equal tothe mean height of the shoes supported on the platen. With this'construction the point of operationv of the cutter is `maintained-g sub-.j

Cir

stantially at the lateral turningaXis of the jack notwithstanding variations in the slope of the shoe bottom. Thepivotal movement of the yoke 92 is limited' in both directions by a pin 95 whichworks in a slot 96 formed in a strap 97 pivoted to the yoke 92. The shaft 88 is driven at a high speed from the motoi` 44 by a round belt l98 which passesV 'from injury the cutter is surrounded by a guard 102 (Figs. 1, 6 and 7) which is pivoted to oscillate about the axis of the cutteron a pin 103 supported by a guard carrier 104.

The `carrier 104 is mounted in a slotj105- formed in a block 106 which is' pinned to the front end of a rod 107 forming an extension of the yoke 92. rlhe guard carrier 104 isvv pivoted on a pin 108 to permit the guard to swing away from the cutter when it is de'- sired to expose the cutting edge for inspection or to grind the cutting edge. The guard is locked in position surrounding the cutter by a spring-pressed pin 109 mounted within a chamber 110 on the block 106 and arranged to engage a hole 111 formed in the carrier 104.` The pin 109 may be withdrawn from engagement with the hole 111 by a fingerpiece 112 and then locked in its withdrawn position kby rotating the nger-piece 112 to place a pin` 113, normally engaged with a slot 114 formed in the chamber 110, upon the top of the chamber. Y

The guard 102 is provided with a slot 115 for the passage of the upstanding edge of the vamp to the cutter andwith a pair of feet 116 and 117 which strad'dlel the edge of the vamp and engage the welt and exposed face of the insole, respectively. The foot 116 is provided with an edge gage118 (Fig. 8) which engages the outside edge of the welt. rllhe guard 102, above the feet 116 and 117, is beveled, as at 119, to insure the free passage of the work through the slot 115. The feet 116 and 117 press upon the welt and insole during the feed of the workandautomatically adapt themselves to the contour of the work engaged thereby and thus tip the guard about the axis of the cutter toinsure that the slot 115 will follow the varying positions ofV the edge of the vamp on the curved shoe bottom. The oscillating movement of the guard 102 is'limited'in both directions by a pair of pins 118a on vthe guard arranged to engage the oppositesides of the guard carrier. rEhe guard 102 also acts as a gage for controlling the height above the shoe bottom at which the vamp 1s trimmed by the cutter.` To this end the `feet 116 and 117 are provided with a bearing edge 120 (Figs, 6, 7 and 8)' arranged in the plane of the cutting edge of the cutter. The

feet 116 and 117 are beveled in advance of the bearing edge120, as at 121 (Figs. 6, 7 andS) to permit the feet to travel up a slope on the shoe bottomwithout affecting the depth of cut; T o permit the guard 102 to ride down a slope on the shoe vbottom the yfeet 116 and 117 are also beveled7 -at122.

The bevel 122 need not be as great as-the bevel 121 owing to the incidence of the cutter (Fig. 1). W'ith this'constru'ction the bearing edge 120 always rests upon the shoe bottom notwithstanding thev varying slopes on the'shoe bottom.v The weight of the 'cutter, guard and associated parts is counterbalanced by a weight 123 which is carried upon a rod 124 secured tothe yoke 92.

To operate the machine the operative starts the motor 44 and then depresses the handle 68 thus separating the guiding rolls 57 and 58 and guiding pin 59 to permit the meshing of the gear 37 with the teeth 38 on the guiding flange 28. The handle 68 is then elevated `to grip the guiding flange between the vguidepin and rolls. The operative then draws the cutter and its guard down up'onthe work upon ywhich it rests under the inuence of gravity. The treadle 53 is then depressed thus* throwing the `mechanism for actuating the jack into vop,-

eration to transfer the point of operation of the cutter around the work. During the transfer of the cutter around the work the feet 116 and 117 automatically adapt themselves to the contour of the work thereby V turning the guard abouttheraxis of the cutter t0 vary the position of the slot 115 in accordance with the varying positions of the upstanding edge of the vamp on the curved shoe bottom. The jack continues to move until the gear 37 runs out of engagement with the teeth 38 into a slot 125 formed in the heel end of the leader which permits the gear 37 to continue to rotate without feeding the work. When the jack automatically stops in the manner described the cutter and treadle are elevated and the handle 68 is depressed to permit the removal of the trimmed shoe and the insertion of'another welted shoe. The scrap removed from the shoes by the cutteris removed by connecting the hollow end of the shaft 88 to an exhaust system.

While the primary vobject ofthe present invention is directed narrowly to my improved system of making welt shoes it is not to be understood as limiting the scope of the claims, where the context' otherwise permits,

to a vamp trimming machine for trimming the vamp of a Blake welt shoe, as it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that certain features and combinations of parts hereinbefore describedare well adapted to make Goodyear welt shoes or, in fact, for general use in the manufacture of shoes.

It will be clear to those skilled in this remata i class of machines and with the general objects of the changes may be made in the details of structure, the described and illustrated embodimerit thereofbeing intended as an exploita-v actuating the knife side of the shoe,-substantially as described.

2. A vamp trimming machine', having, in combinatioma support for a shoe,a knife to trim the edge of thevamp of the shoe, and means for actuating the support to transfer the point of operation of the knife around'the shoe in a progressive manner along one sideof the shoe around an end curvature thereof tothe other side of the shoe, substantially as described.

3. A vamp` trimming machine, having', in

combination, a shoe supporting jack, a cylindrical cutter to trim the edge of the Vamp, and means for relatively actuating the jack and cutterto transfer the point of operation of the cutter around the shoe, substantially as described.

4;. A vamp trimming'machine, having, in combination, a longitudinally"movable and rotatable support for a shoeffa knife to trim the edge of the vamp of the shoe, and means for actuating the supportv to transfer the point of operation of the'knife'iaround the shoe, substantiallyl as described. Y Y

5. A machine for preparing a welted shoe' for the sole laying operation, having, inl

combination, a rotary cutter, and a r'guard therefor mountedv` to turn automatically under the pressure-of the work about the axis of the cutter, substantially as described.

6. A machine for'preparing a shoe for a subsequent operationen thefslioe bottom,

having, in combination, a knifeto trim the upstanding edge of the work, and a guard for the fknifeprovided with a pair of feet arranged to straddle the upstanding edge of the work and mounted to turny automati` cally under the pressure"` of the woikabout the axis `of the cutter,substantiallyr as de'- scribed.-

7. A'machine for preparing-ay vshoefor a.

subsequent operation on the shoe bottom, having,,incombinatiom aknife to trim the upstanding edgeof the work, and aguard for the knife*providedl with a-pair of feet arranged to straddle the upstanding edge of the vamp and engage the welt and insole and mounted to turn automatically under the present iiiventieii in View, that vamp of the shoe,

pressure of the work about'tlie axis of the cutter, respectively, substantially as de# scribed.

8. A machine for preparinga shoe fora A' subsequent operationon thevshoe bottom,

having, in combination, a rotaryknife' to trim the upstanding edge of the work, a pivotally mounted` guard for the knife, and

a plurality of feet onthe guard arranged to engage the` work'` and adapt themselves to the curvature thereof and swingthe guard about-the aXis'of the knife, substantially as described. e e A 9. A machine for preparing 'a shoe for a subsequent operation on the' shoe bottom, having,

lknife to trim the upstaiiding edge of the 8o `in combination, a work ysupportfa work,k means for relatively' actuating the support and knife to' transfer the point of' operation ofthe knife around the work,l a

pivotally mounted guard for the knife, andH a plurality offeet on the guard arranged to engage the work and adapt themselves tothe Y.

curvature thereof and swing the guard about its axis during the transfer of the `tool around the work, substantially as described.

10.v A machine for preparing a welted shoe for tlie'sole laying operation, havingJ in combination,'a cutter for removing thek surplus stockon the shoe bottom, and va guard therefor mounted to automatically adapt itself to the contour ofthe work, substantially as described. 'u 'l j u k11. A machine for lpreparing a welted 'u l00` Shoe for the sole laying operation, having, in combination, a cutterfor removing the surplus stock onfth'e shoe' bottom, a guard:` for the cutter liavinga slot formed therein,

for the passage of the surplus stock to the cutter, and a pair of feet on the guard ar` ranged `to straddle the surplus stock and vary the position of theslot in accordance with vvariations Y in the plus stock, substantially as described.

i2. A machine for ypreparing ra welted shoe for the sole laying operation,` having, in combination, a work support,a cutter for position 'of the surn f i removing the surplusstock'on .the shoebotl tom, means `for relatively actuating the supyport andcu'tter to Itransferthe point'offll operation of the cutteraround the work,

a guard for the cutter having a kslot formed thereinfor' the passage of the surplus stock@ rto the cutter, fand a pluralityfof feet Aon the guard arranged to yengage the work and adapt themselves tothe curvature thereof and vary the position of the slot inaccordance with variations in thefposition of the surplus stoclnsubstantially as described.

13. A machinefor preparin'ga welted in combination, for provided with a slot for the passage of the work to the cutter mounted to shift automatically under the pressure of the work izo shoe for the sole'laying operation, having, j,

a cutter, and a guard there upon the carrier about the axis of the cutter,

substantially as described.

16. A shoe machine, having, in combinaf tion, a rotary cutter, an independent support, a guardcarrier pivoted thereon, a guard for the, cutter mounted to oscillate upon thecarrier about the axis of the cutter,

and means for, limiting the oscillating movement of the guard, substantially `as described.

17. A shoe machine, having, in combination, a rotary cutter, an independent support, a guard carrier pivoted thereon, a guard for, the cutter mounted to oscillate u pon the carrier about the axis of the. cutter, and means for locking the carrier upon the support', substantially as described.

V1S. A shoe machine, having, in combination, a platen, Va support for a shoe mounted thereon,4 and a tool for operating upon the shoe mounted to tiprabout an axis located in a horizontal plane'having a height above the platen substantially equal to the mean height of the supported shoes, substantially asdescribed. I Y

`1,9. A shoe machine, having,in combination, a platen, a support for a shoe mounted thereon, and a tool for operating upon the shoe mounted to tipabout .anl axis of nonintersection with' the Work and located in aA horizontal plane havingl a height above tlieplaten substantially equal to the mean height of the supported shoes, substantially as described.

20. A shoe machine,having, in combina tion, a tool, a shoe supporting jack, a leader connected thereto, and driving mechanism cooperating vWith theleader for actuatingV theV jack to transfer the point of operation of the tool aroundtlie shoe, said leader being constructed and Varranged to automatically stop the transfer of the pointv of oper-l ation ofthe toolwithout stopping the driving mechanism, substantially as described.

21. A shoe machine, having,lin combination, abshoe support, and a cutter mounted on a horizontal axis to engage the Work and rise and fall, under the influence of the work to automatically adapt itself to the heightA of the Work at the point of operation, substaiitially as described.

22. A vamp trimming machine, having',

`in combination, a cutter, a depth gagethere` for mounted to embrace the free edge of the vamp, and means permitting the gage to ride over the varyingslopes 4of the Work Without variations in the depthv of cut, substantially as described.

23. A shoe machine, having, in combina tion, a cutter and a depth gage therefor providedV with 'beveled faces on itsbottom which meet in a line arranged to bear uni;

formly onthe shoe bottom, substantially as Y y described. f

24. Ashoemacliine, having, incombina-Y tion, a cutter, a guard therefor, and a plurality of feet `onthe guard'arranged to engage the work, each of said feet being provided With beveled faces which meet in a line arranged to bear uniformly on the shoe botv tom, substantially as described.

25. A shoe machine, having, in combination, a shoe support, a cutter, and a guard therefor mounted to engage the Work and move under the vinfluence of the Work lati erally and .vertically to automatically adapt itself to the curvatures of theworkat the point `of operation, substantially as described.

26. A shoe machine, having, in combination, a shoe support and a cutter mounted on a shaft inclined to the Work having relative rising and falling movements under the pressure of the Work to automatically adapt y the cutter to the height of the Work at the point of operation. Y ,i f,

27. A machine for preparing a Welted shoe for the sole laying operation, having,

in combination, a support for a Welted shoe and rotary pperating means for trimming the upstanding skirt of the upper dovvn to the plane of the insole.

28. A machine forV preparing y a kvvelted i shoe for the sole laying operation, having, in combination, a support for a Welted shoe, operating means for trimming'the'upstanding skirt of the upper dovvnjto the plane of the insole, and means for relatively actuating the support and operating means to transfer the point of operation of the-geperating means around the shoe from one breast corner to the other.

29. A machine. for preparing a Svvelted-` shoe for thesolelaying operation, having,

in combination, a knife for trimming the upstanding skirt of the upper dow-n tothe plane of the insole anda guard for the knifefprovided .with a pair of feet arranged to straddle the upstanding skirt.

. CHARLES C. BLAKE. 

